Eliav Gabay
Golden State Warriors basketball executive and Arizona native Nick U’Ren has been named the Mercury’s next general manager.
Current General Manager and WNBA Champion, Jim Pitman, is retiring as GM at the end of the season but will stay in his role as Phoenix Suns and Mercury Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer.
“It has been a great privilege to oversee 10 seasons of Mercury basketball and to have had a day-to-day role in the franchise I’ve been involved in since its inception in 1997,” Pitman, said. “There have been extraordinary highs – winning a championship, witnessing Diana Taurasi becoming the WNBA’s all-time leading scorer, and of course watching Brittney Griner’s return to basketball – and I’m incredibly grateful to have been a part of a team that has brought so many people so much joy. I have known Nick for many years and look forward to working alongside him to ensure we are well positioned for success now and into the future.”
Under Pitman, Phoenix won 169 regular season wins (thus far), including a WNBA-record 29 wins in 2014 (won the 2014 title too), nine straight postseason appearances, and 24 playoff victories. The most of any general manager in franchise history.
The McClintock High School graduate in U’Ren will take over at the conclusion of the 2023 season, but will work with Pitman on the transition.
“I want to thank Jim for his many contributions to the organization,” Phoenix Mercury and Suns owner Mat Ishbia said. “From our very first meeting, Jim was transparent about his likely plans to retire as general manager at the end of this season, which gave us the time needed to find the right replacement to lead the Mercury forward. We are excited to have Nick, a veteran basketball executive with four NBA titles under his belt, as the Mercury’s new general manager. We are committed to winning on and off the court, and I am confident that Nick will serve our fans, our community and our organization with passion, dedication and a commitment to excellence, in much the same way that Jim has.”
His resume includes Warriors’ Executive Director of Operations, Warriors’ Director of Basketball Operations, Warriors’ Special Assistant to the Head Coach and Director of Coaching Roles, Suns’ Director of Video Operations, and Mercury Head Video Coordinator.
“I want to thank Mat Ishbia, Josh Bartelstein and Jim Pitman for entrusting me with one of the WNBA’s most storied franchises,” U’Ren said. “There is a clear willingness to invest the necessary resources to build a winning team and culture in Phoenix. That, combined with the great people on and off the court, made this the right opportunity at the right time for my family and me. I also want to thank the Golden State Warriors for the knowledge, experiences and friendships that I gained during my time there.”
U’Ren will report to Phoenix Suns and Phoenix Mercury Chief Executive Officer, Josh Bartelstein.
“While he is retiring from his role as general manager,” Bartelstein said. “Jim has been an integral part of our organization for more than three decades and we look forward to his continued guidance and leadership across our business operations.”
“Not only does Nick possess a wealth of basketball leadership experience,” Bartelstein said. “He has a tremendous understanding of what it takes to build a championship culture and create sustained success.”
U’Ren will have big shoes to fill as Pitman’s run as Mercury General Manager is widely considered one of the best in franchise history and one of the best in league.
Special #MercuryMinute with GM Jim Pitman:
🌟Brittney Griner’s #WNBAAllStar season
🏀Early impression of interim HC Nikki Blue
🧐The details he looks for when watching a game@Sports360AZ pic.twitter.com/r6LDFVmt2K— Eliav Gabay (@eliavgabay) June 30, 2023
